Vacuum cleaner and cordwinder combination



- Dec. 2o, 1960 0. L. ALLEN mL I 2,964,777`

' vVACUUM CLEANER AND CCRDNINDER COMBINATION INVENTORS OLIVE/e HLLEN QTHEIR ATTORNEY Dec. 20, 1960 o. l.. ALLEN ETAL VACUUM CLEANER ANDcoRDmNDER COMBINATION Filed Marchvzo, 1957 y 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 E. BEL/cmm M ME N n NN IL 0 M/c/mn Gus mf t'. Lora/25N mull- THEIR ATTORNEYUnited States Patent() i VACUUM CLEANER AND CORDWINDER COMBINATIONOliver L. Allen, Riverside, Michael E. Belicka, Greenwich, and Gnstaf E.Lofgren, Riverside, Conn., assignors to rElectrolux Corporation,Fairfield, Conn., a corporation of Delaware Filed Mar. 20, 1957, Ser.No. 647,241

7 Claims. (Cl. 15-323) Our invention relates to the combination of avacuum cleaner, and particularly a tank type cleaner, with a removablecordwnder.

Heretofore, it has been the practice to secure a cordwnder to theexhaust opening at the rear end of a cleaner Among the objects of ourpresent invention is to pro,

vide a detachable cordwnder which, however, need not be removed from thecleaner or disturbed in any way when it is desired to connect the hoseto the exhaust opening. Further objects and advantagesof our inventionwill be apparent from the following description when'considered inconnection with the accompanying drawings whichY form part of thespecification and of which:

Fig. 1 is a side view partially in cross-section, showing one embodimentof our invention;

Fig. 2 is a rear view of the device shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a top view of a portion of the device shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a cordholder substituted inplace of certain parts shown in the preceding figures;

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a second embodiment of ourinvention; and

Fig. 6 is a bottom view of the device shown in Fig. 5.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1 through 3, reference character 10designates generally the body of a tank type vacuum cleaner which isadapted to be supported on `a horizontal surface by means of a pair ofrear wheels 12 and a front caster 14. Removably secured to the front endof body 10 is ra front cover 16 provided with an inlet opening 18.

Mounted within body 10 near the rear end thereof is a motor-fan unitincluding an electric motor 20 driving a centrifugal fan 22. The motoris supplied with current through conductors 24 which are connectedthrough an electric switch 26 to contact prongs 28.

The rear end of body 10 is formed with a transverse wall 30 having arectangular opening 32. Suitably Vsecured to the outside of wall 30, asby spot welding is a plate 34 provided with a number of openings 36, aswill be seen particularly in Fig. 2. The central par-t of plate 34carries a threaded member 38.

An end member designated generally by reference character 40 isremovably secured to the outer face of wall 30 by means of a bolt 42which engages the threaded member 38. Member 40 is provided with atransverse wall 44 having a depression 46` in which is received the head48 of bolt 42. At the upper edge Patented Dee. 2o, 196e of wall 44member 40 is formed with an outlet passage which terminates in ahorizontally extending hose connection 50. A plate 52 is mounted withinmember 40 so that its large central opening 54 is in alignment with theholes 36 formed in the plate 34. If desired, a filter ggd S6 may be heldin place between the plates 34 and Extending rearwardly from member 40is circular cradle 58 which has an arcuate extent of somewhat more than180. Reference character 60 designates generally a cordwnder which iscylindrical in shape and has an outer diameter substantially the same asthe inner diameter of the cradle 58. The lower part of the cordwinder isprovided with a pair of pins 62 which are adapted to extend throughcorresponding apertures formed in the cradle 58, while the upper part ofthe cordwnder is formed with a pin 64 which may be engaged by a latch 66pivotally mounted at 68 on the underside of hose connection 50.

The cordwnder 60 is provided therein with the usual spring actuated reelor drum upon which an electric cord 70 may be wound when not in use.When it is desired to operate the vacuum cleaner, the cord 70 may bepulled out through the opening 72 formed in the cordwnder casing and theplug 74 inserted in -a suitable electrical receptacle. A comparativelyshort elec-A tric cord 76 extends from the rear of the cordwnder througha slot 77 formed in the bottom of cradle 58 and is provided with a plug78 which may engage A the prongs 28, so as to supply current to themotor 20..

During normal operation of the device as a vacuum; cleaner, a fiexiblehose is connected to the inlet 18.. Operation of the motor 20 causes thefan 22 to induce flow of air through the inlet 18, and this air isdischarged through and around the motor 20 from whence it passes throughthe openings 36 in the plate 34, through the filter 56 and the opening54 in the plate 52, to be discharged finally through the hose connection50. If it is desired to use the vacuum ceaner for blowing purposes, thehose may be connected to the connection 5t) without disturbing thecordwnder 60. lf it is desired for any reason to remove the cordwnderfrom the vacuum cleaner this may be done by merely pivoting the latch 66in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 3, so as to releaseit from engagement with pins 64. The cordwnder 60 may then be pivotedoutwardly until its upper edge is beyond the outer end of hoseconnection 50, whereupon it may be lifted slightly so as to disengagepins 62 from the apertures in cradle 58. Removal of the cordwnder fromthe end member 4f)y is necessary in the event it is desired to changethe filter 56. To do this. after the cordwnder has been removed as abovedescribed, the head 48 of screw 42 is accessible so that the latter maybe unscrewed from the member 38. Thereupon, the lter 56 may be removedand replaced with a new one and the parts reassembled.

In the event a cordwnder is not desired, the end member 40 may beremoved, and replaced by the hollow circular member 80 shown in Fig. 4.This member has an inner arm 81 which carries a threaded bolt 42 havinga head 48', the bolt being arranged to engage the threaded member 38 inthe same manner as does bolt 42 in Fig. l. Member .80 is formed with acentral exhaust opening 82 through which the head 48 is accessible andto which the hose may be connected for blowing purposes. An electriccord for supplying current to the motor 20 may be wound around theexterior of cylindrical member 80 for storage purposes.

A slightly modified embodiment of our invention is shown in Figs. 5 and6; Here the end member 40 is the same as that previously disclosed withthe exception? threaded engagement' with end member 40. A pin 92'extends downwardly from hose connection 50 and is adapted to engage anaperture formed in the casing of the cordwinder.

In order to secure the cordwinder to the member 40, it is placed inposition against the outer surface of rear wall 44 with pin 92 engagingthe aperture in the cordwinder ease and with the bolt 90 received withinthe slot 88. Thereupon, the bolt 90 is screwed up tight so as to holdthe cordwinder in place.

Otherwise, this embodiment is the same as that previously described.

It will be seen that, in accordance with either of the embodiments ofour invention, we have provided an arrangement whereby a cordwindermaybe detachably connected to the rear end of a tank type vacuum cleanerwithout in any manner interfering with the connection of a hose to theexhaust opening of the cleaner.

While we have sho-wn two more or less specific embodiments of ourinvention it is to be understood that this has been done for the purposeof illustration onlyl and that the scope of our invention is not to belimited thereby, but is to be determined from the appended claims.

What we claim is:

l. In a vacuum cleaner, an elongated housing open at one end, amotor-fan unit in said housing for producing ilow of air therethrough,an end member having a substantially, transverse wall portion and beingformed with an outlet passage disposed at one edge of the wall, afastening member passingv through said wall portion and engageable withan element xed with respect to said housing for removably securing saidend member to said housing, said wall portion being formed with a recessfor receiving the outer end of said fastening member, a casing enclosinga cordwinder for supplying current to said motor, and means forremovably securing said casing to the exterior of said end memberclosely adjacent to the outer side of said wall covering said recess andentirely 4to one side of said outlet passage.

2. A device as defined in claim l in which said outlet passageterminates in a hose connection extending substantially normal to theplane of said wall, and the means for removably securing said casing tothe exterior of said end member includes a member carried by said hoseconnection removably engaging said casing'.

3. A device as detned in claim 1 in which the means for. removably.securing said casing to. the exterior of said..

end member includes cradle means carried by said mem-- ber outwardly ofsaid wall and having a shape conforming to the outer contour of saidcasing, and releasable means for securing said casing in said cradlemeans.

4. A device as defined in claim 3 in which said releasable meanscomprises` a pivotally mounted latch member.

5. A device as defined in claim 2 in which the means for removablysecuring said casing to the exterior of said end member includes cradle.means Carried by saidl mem ber outwardly of. said, wall'and oppositesaid hose connection and having a shapeY conforming to the outer contourof said casing, s aid member carried by said hose connection serving tosecure said casing in said cradle means.

6. A device as defined in claim l in which the means for removablysecuring said casing to the exterior of said end member includesinterlocking means for securing the upper part of the casing to saidmember, an arm secured to the lower part of the casing and extendingunderneath said member, and manuallyengageable and releasable means forsecuring said arm to said member.

7. A device as defined in claim l in which said outlet passageterminates in a hose connection extending substantially normal to theplane of said wall, and the means for removably securing said casing tothe exterior of said end member includes means mounted on said hoseconnection for securing the upper part of said casing to said member, anarm secured to said casing and extending underneath said member, andmanually engageable and releasable means for securing said arm to saidmemberA References. Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,260,626 Berg Matr. 26, 1918 1,960,922 Richard May 29, 1934 2,323,275Lofgren June 29, 1943 2,348,966 Dow et al May 16, 1944 2,375,917 GrossMay 15, 1945 2,794,513 Hultberg et al June 4, 1957 2,825,087 MeyerhoeferMar. 4, 1958 2,825,924 Humphrey Mar. 1l, 1958 2,848,731 Tamarin Aug. 26,1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 733,530 Great Britain July 13, 1955

